Does BMW Have Too Many Models?

Perhaps it's time to reevaluate the lineup.

If you have a few minutes, go the official BMW website and see how many models are currently on offer. By our count, there’s a total of 13, not including the M high performance versions of seven of those, in addition to a few convertible variants and a four-door version of the 6 Series, the Gran Coupe. Oh yeah, the X2 is also on its way. Make that 14. It’s a big lineup, especially for a premium luxury brand and BMW is all too aware of this. Speaking to Automotive News, BMW’s head of global sales and marketing, Ian Robertson, admitted "The checkerboard is getting quite full.

There are not many more concepts. And I think we are reaching the phase where we will start to take some (models) out – it’s too complicated, and there are too many. And there are products whose market has dropped and not recovered." Which specific products is he referring to? "The areas where recovery didn’t happen were places like roadsters and convertibles, so most manufacturers are extending the life span of those types of products or looking for joint venture partners." Asked straight up whether BMW is planning to cut any of its models, Robertson was vague but the writing is on the wall: "We will refine it, shall we say."

Based on Robertson's remarks, we wouldn't be surprised to see, say, the 2 or even the 4 Series Convertible receive the axe. Convertibles have long been a hard sell for automakers, and roadsters, like the now discontinued Z4, are even more challenging. So it makes complete sense that BMW and Toyota teamed up to build the Z5/Supra. Like Robertson said, "joint venture partners." In any case, the Z5 is on its way soon as is the next generation 6 Series, which we've seen testing as both a coupe and convertible.

A Whole Bunch Of BMW And MINI Models May Catch Fire

A massive recall is coming.

An automotive recall is never a good thing, but when cars have a potential for catching fire, things are really bad. BMW is sadly no stranger to issuing recalls for fire risk. The company recalled 136,000 cars in 2016 and more than one million cars in 2017. Now BMW of North American is recalling 47,806 BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce vehicles in the U.S. for risk of potential fire. This recall is no where near as bad as previous recalls in terms of numbers, but the German automaker may not be ready to fix the affected cars right away.

According to BMW, an auxiliary water pump could fail on affected vehicles, causing a circuit board to overheat and catch fire. Dealerships will replace the pump free of charge, but replacement parts are not available yet. Affected owners will be notified June 11, 2018 and again when replacement parts are available, though BMW didn't give an exact date. Until the new part is installed, BMW recommends owners to park their vehicles outside to avoid a potential house fire. The list of vehicles affected by the issue is wide and vast, including models from each of BMW's three brands: BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce.

Affected BMW models include: 2011-2012 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, 2011 X6 Hybrid, 2012 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible, and 650i xDrive Convertible. The affected MINI models include 2011-2012 Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, and JCW Coupe. The recall also includes certain 2011-2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost models.

BMW Plotting M2 CS And M2 CSL As Limited Edition Models

The M2 CS will reportedly only be sold in America.

The BMW M2 Competition only launched a few months ago as a replacement for the regular M2, but new rumors suggest there could be more hardcore versions of the performance coupe in the pipeline.

Citing sources inside the automaker’s Munich factory, BMW Blog claims that BMW is preparing to unleash a limited-edition BMW M2 CS next year exclusively for the American market. Customer deliveries will reportedly start in early 2020, and the car will be even lighter than the M2 Competition.

Shedding some weight off the M2 Competition shouldn’t be difficult as we saw with the M4 CS, and the S55 engine could be tuned to deliver more power and torque to improve the performance. After all, the M2 Competition is powered by the same engine as the M4 detuned to deliver 405 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, while the M4 has 425 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.

This won’t be the only limited-edition model, however. While the M2 CS will only be sold in the US, BMWBlog also reports that the long-rumored M2 CSL will launch worldwide a few months later. Like the M2 CS, it will be sold as a limited-edition model, with production only lasting one year until 2021.

Like the E46 M3 CSL before it, the M2 CSL will be the most hardcore model in the range, with even less weight and more power than the M2 Competition. These rumors haven’t been officially confirmed, but BMW has previously confirmed it will bring back the CSL badge on future models to replace the GTS, so there’s hope.

3 Brand New BMW Models To Debut At 2018 LA Auto Show

One of them is likely to be the 8 Series Convertible.

We’re now less than two weeks away from the Paris Auto Show, which will host several significant car debuts including the new BMW 3 Series. After Paris, the next event on the motor show calendar is the LA Auto Show, which kicks off on November 26. Organizers have announced we can expect more than 50 global and North American debuts at the show.

No specific debuts were announced, but it’s been confirmed that BMW will present three brand new models at the event as well as a new concept. These are in addition to the North American debut of the new BMW X5, which will be presented alongside the new 8 Series coupe and Z4 M40i Roadster.

Nothing has been officially confirmed, but it seems likely the BMW 8 Series Convertible will make its world debut in LA since prototypes have already been spotted practically naked. The X3 M and X4 M could also break cover, as BMW recently teased these new performance-focused SUVs.

Other debuts are expected from Volkswagen, who will present a new electric concept, as well as special editions of the GTI and Beetle. Presumably, these will be the Beetle Final Edition and the Golf GTI Rabbit Edition. Toyota will also showcase five new vehicles, including hybrid and special edition models, while Subaru will have multiple model debuts, including a plug-in hybrid. We can also expect to see new model debuts from Nissan, Porsche and Volvo, which suggests the new 992-generation Porsche 911 will make its world debut in LA rather than Paris.

“As the nation’s number one green vehicle market, it is fitting that nearly one-third of the debuts slated for this year’s AutoMobility LA are electric or alternative fuel,” said Lisa Kaz, President and CEO of AutoMobility LA and the LA Auto Show. “It is exciting to see how many volume and luxury brands are offering greener mobility options for environmentally-conscious Southern Californians.”

BMW May Kill Off One Of Its Ugliest Models

And it will merge with one of the prettiest BMW models.

We were never huge fans of the BMW 3 Series GT, an odd cross between a wagon and an SUV. To be fair to BMW, the refreshed 3 Series GT was far better looking than the now-discontinued 5 Series GT and the equally ugly 6 Series GT. BMW gave the 3 Series GT a refresh for the 2016 model year, but there has been some question as to whether the model would continue into the next generation.

Sources indicated that the 3 Series GT and wagon variants would be sold alongside the all-new G20 generation 3 Series sedan for a brief period. The 3 Series GT may live on for a short time, but inside sources at BMW Blog claim that the car will not be continued into the G20 generation and will be out of production by 2020. Instead of continuing to sell the 3 Series GT, BMW may merge it with the 4 Series Gran Coupe, which is much prettier design.

We hope this rumor turns out to be true because the 4 Series Gran Coupe is one of our favorite current BMWs, while the 3 Series GT is one of our least favorites. All of the GT, or 'Gran Turismo' models, were designed to combine the practicality of an SUV with the ride of a sedan. The result has been several models with a sort of hunchback look that aren't as practical as their wagon counterparts. Unfortunately, the 6 Series GT looks like it won't be going anywhere, but at least we may be able to get one BMW GT model off of the roads.

Bentley To Honor Its Heritage With Unique Features For All 2019 Models

Centenary specifications will include a number of unique design touches.

Bentley Motors Limited was founded by English engineer Walter Owen Bentley and his brother in 1919. Intending to turn their aero engine business into a car manufacturing one, they soon built a name for themselves with sporty Grand Tourers that proved themselves in various endurance racing events such as the LeMans 24 Hours.

While the company has seen its fair share of ups and downs with numerous owners at the helm, W.O. Bentley’s principle to build “a fast car, a good car, the best in its class”, has been a core principle throughout. To celebrate its illustrious history, all 2019 model year Bentleys will feature a number of unique design features and details.

Centenary badging, distinctive seat embroidery and unique treadplates with a 1919-2019 display are among some of the features that will be found on all cars built from January to December 2019.

The steering wheel badge, key fob and gear selector will also be of a slightly different design and a refined metallic gold, referred to as Centenary Gold, will be used on logos, contrast stitching and other trim pieces. The color has been chosen to honor the metalwork found on vintage Bentleys of the past such as the EXP 2 of 1919 and the famous racing 1929 Birkin Blower.

After many decades of absence, Bentley finally returned to its racing roots once again and is participating in the Blancpain Endurance Series.

Back in the 1920s, W.O. Bentley used the harsh racing environment as a proving ground for his early models and the successes of the legendary ‘Bentley Boys’ made Bentley a household name the world over. Aside from winning at Le Mans five times, Bentley also triumphed at Brooklands, Indianapolis and the Isle of Man. Let’s hope it continues its winning ways both on and off the track for the next 100 years.

A Whole Bunch Of BMW And MINI Models May Catch Fire

A massive recall is coming.

An automotive recall is never a good thing, but when cars have a potential for catching fire, things are really bad. BMW is sadly no stranger to issuing recalls for fire risk. The company recalled 136,000 cars in 2016 and more than one million cars in 2017. Now BMW of North American is recalling 47,806 BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce vehicles in the U.S. for risk of potential fire. This recall is no where near as bad as previous recalls in terms of numbers, but the German automaker may not be ready to fix the affected cars right away.

According to BMW, an auxiliary water pump could fail on affected vehicles, causing a circuit board to overheat and catch fire. Dealerships will replace the pump free of charge, but replacement parts are not available yet. Affected owners will be notified June 11, 2018 and again when replacement parts are available, though BMW didn't give an exact date. Until the new part is installed, BMW recommends owners to park their vehicles outside to avoid a potential house fire. The list of vehicles affected by the issue is wide and vast, including models from each of BMW's three brands: BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce.

Affected BMW models include: 2011-2012 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, 2011 X6 Hybrid, 2012 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible, and 650i xDrive Convertible. The affected MINI models include 2011-2012 Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, and JCW Coupe. The recall also includes certain 2011-2012 Rolls-Royce Ghost models.

Trademark Suggests Three New BMW M Models Are Coming

New performance versions of the 3 Series, 6 Series and 7 Series could be joining BMW’s M lineup.

It looks like BMW’s M division is planning to expand its lineup with three new models according to a recent trademark filed with United States Patent and Trademark Office. According to AutoGuide, the Bavarian automaker has registered trademarks for the names “M335”, “M650” and “M750.” This suggests more performance-focused versions of the 3 Series, 6 Series, and 7 Series are on the way. BMW recently unveiled the M850i xDrive at Le Mans this month, which is powered by a 523-hp, 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8.

It also features the automaker’s eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and xDrive all-wheel-drive system, so it wouldn’t be surprising if both the M650 and M750 utilize this setup if they enter production. Currently, the fastest 6 Series is the 640i GT xDrive, which is powered by a 335-hp TwinPower turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine, so there’s certainly room for a more powerful model with over 400 horsepower and a twin-turbo V8. The M750 trademark also implies that a V8-powered BMW 7 Series could also be in development to complement the M760Li limousine, which packs a V12 engine delivering 600 horsepower. Don’t forget an M7 trademark was filed earlier this year, too.

Perhaps the most intriguing trademark filing is the M335, implying that a new M-badged 3 Series model could slot below the full-fat M3. If it does go into production, it could form part of the next-generation 2019 3 Series lineup. Confusingly however, we already know BMW is planning to launch the M340i and M340d as performance models positioned below the M3, so it remains to be seen where the M335 would fit in the lineup. The new 3 Series is expected to debut at the Paris Auto Show in October, so we shouldn’t have too long to find out.